


Capriccio

by hikachu



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: M/M, Post-Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-13
Updated: 2014-12-13
Packaged: 2018-03-01 08:15:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2766044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hikachu/pseuds/hikachu
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Kaito sulks, and he and Christopher walk Haruto to school on his first day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Capriccio

“So, in other words, you have been ditched.”

Kaito locks the door with a single, sharp turn of his wrist that makes Christopher shudder a little: he’s sure there was enough force in that to crack an adult man’s jaw. Kaito is in a bad mood this morning, no question about it.

Christopher helps Haruto ease his arms into the straps of his brand new schoolbag and decides to try and be conciliating, because he’s an adult and, all things considered, Kaito is still technically a teenager in his rebellious stage. So, he puts on his best forced smile and goes, “Hey now, isn’t it a bit harsh to put it like that?”

Kaito, however, is merciless.

“What do you mean? It’s just how it is, isn’t it? It would be embarrassing for your brothers to go out with you at their age, after all.”

Christopher can  _hear_  the poison drip from those words and doesn’t know if he should be more amazed or angered by the effortless precision with which Kaito can hit right where it hurts the most. How splendidly cold hearted, he thinks with a twitch at the corner of his still-smiling mouth that tells him, nah, you’re definitely angry.

Kaito pockets his keys with a jingling sound and turns to take Haruto’s hand with a warm expression: a picture that would usually melt Christopher’s heart, if it weren’t for a) the absolutely unmotivated difference in treatment, b) Kaito’s glaring hypocrisy here (just who is he trying to call a brocon, huh?).

They’re out in the streets when Christopher decides that there’s no solution to this mystery – not unless Kaito himself decides to open up his moody heart, anyway – and sighs.

Haruto, kind, sweet Haruto, so different from his uncute big brother, stops and turns around with a worried face.

“Are you alright Chris?”

“Ah, I’m just a little bit sad, Haruto. Kaito is being mean to me today, for some reason,” which turns out to be the right thing to say, because Haruto immediately scolds his brother for bullying Chris, one of Haruto’s favorite people, and then motions for Christopher to crouch down so he can pat his head and chant: there, there, like it’s a spell against sadness.

“Thank you, Haruto,” Christopher’s smile is unbidden, before the bitter scowl on Kaito’s face. Ah, sweet revenge.

They walk the rest of the way to Heartland’s primary school in silence: Christopher holding Haruto’s hand and gloating in silence, and Kaito glowering alone in silence, to be exact.

There’s finally a truce when it’s time to let Haruto go, to leave him to the teacher who has greeted them and to the beginning of his public schooling adventure. Kaito is visibly worried, because Haruto’s condition has never allowed him to attend school—or interact with children his age at all, before, but he steels himself and produces the most reassuring smile he can manage to bid Haruto goodbye for the morning. Christopher does the same, kissing Haruto’s forehead. His heart is swelling with a mix of happiness and pride, because they are his other family, Haruto and Kaito both, and he can’t believe how lucky that makes him.

He wraps his hand around Kaito’s, still watching as Haruto follows the teacher inside with an excited gait. “Don’t worry, he’s going to be alright,” he whispers, because he can read Kaito’s eyes even when he can’t see them.

“I know,” mutters Kaito. He shakes his head, then asks in his usual steady voice, “Shall we go?”

“Hm-hm. It’s the perfect day for a walk, isn’t it?”

“I guess. A pity you’re not really going to enjoy it, without your brothers…”

“Oh?” Christopher blinks. “Oh! So that’s what it was about! What’s this, Kaito? Were you planning a romantic morning just for the two of us?”

Kaito’s face grows red and he’s scowling harder than before, which tells Christopher that he guessed right. It would be very, very hard to hold his laughter at this point. Therefore he’s not even going to try.

“Shut up!” he hisses. “Stop laughing, you idiot! It’s just common sense, alright?”

Christopher wipes away the tears that have formed at the corner of his eyes and nods, holding his chest with his other hand.

“I suppose you’re right. It was insensitive of me to ask Mihael and Thomas to come along. I should have read the mood. But,” he smirks, “you can’t deny that if Haruto had gotten cold feet this morning, you would have brought him along without even thinking about it twice.”

Kaito looks away. The tips of his ears are almost glowing.

“Sorry, sorry,” chuckles Christopher. “What about a cup of hot chocolate? I’ll treat you, so, please, forgive me, okay?”

Kaito sinks his head between his shoulder, protesting, “I’m not a child anymore,” but squeezes Christopher’s hand all the same as they walk together to the nearest cafe.


End file.
